Firing indicator and recorder.



A. W. KLBILLINGS. 'PIBING INDICATOR AND RECORDER. APPLIOATION nun we. 4,1909'.

974,017, wante Oct. 25,1910.

v Q I o N 3' I l l l Lgg 62406 W ma W fllll'l mg's -W by I ASA WHITEKENNEY BILLTNGS, 0F HABANA, CUBA.

' FIRING INDICATOR AND RECORDER.

Original application filed May 20, 1909, Serial No. 497,365.

Serial No. 511,245.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ASA WHITE KENNEY BILLINGS, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a resident of Habana, in the Province of Habanaand Republic of Cuba, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Firing Indicators and Recorders, (which is a division of applicationSerial No. 497,365, filed May 20, 1909,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to firing indicators for use in connection withheating devices, the object of the invention being to provide meansautomatically operated by the action ofa mechanism for regulating therate of combustion, for indicating to the fireman the rate at which fuelshould be supplied to a plurality of heating devices and to eachindividual heating device.

The invention consists in providing an indicating arm operable by themovement of the device for regulating the rate of combu stion whichco-acts with a scale graduated in terms designating the rate at whichfuel is to be supplied to the heating devices, said indicating arm alsoco-acting at one ex-- treme of its movement with an electric contact,thereby making a circuit which operates an audible signal, this signalbeing for the purpose of indicating to the fireman that the temperature,pressure, or other variable controlling the regulating device, has

reached the extreme value consistent With the proper operation of theheating device.

The invention further consists in attaching to the device for regulatingthe rate of combustion an indicating mechanism which displays the actualvariations in the regulation of said rate of combustion in the heatingdevice, said indicating mechanism being operated by suitable clockmechanism.

The invention further consists in providing each heating device with aplurality of signal devices, each of which is marked to indicate therate at which fuel should be supplied to that particular heating device,and operating one of said signal devices on each of said heating devicesat stated firing intervals, the times of firing being indicated byanaudible signal controlled by a clock mechanism.

The invention further consists in providing each heating device with analarm which is operated when the mechanlsm of the regulating device isin its extreme po- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Divided and this application filed August 4,

sition, corresponding to the lowest or extreme permissible value of thevariable which controls said regulating device, said alarm continuing tooperate until the variable returns in value to its normal range.

The invention further consists in providing an excess air alarm operatedin connection with a combustion indicator on each heating device, whichalarm is operated when the presence of an excessive proportion of air inthe combustion process requires attention and correction, the saidexcess air alarm continuing to operate until the conditions return tonormal.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionand arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by referenceto the description of the drawing and to the claims hereinafter given.

The drawing represents a diagrammatical view of two heating devices inthe form of hand fired steam boilers, a device for regulating the rateof combustion in same, in the form of a damper regulator controlling thedampers according to the variations in steam pressure, and the recordingand indicating mechanisms operated thereby.

In the drawings, 10 and 11 are'two boilers of any usual constructionprovided with the ashdoors 12 and the doors 13 through which the fuel issupplied to the usual firepot. A damper 14: provided with suitableopenings regulates the admission of air to the fire-pot of the boiler,this damper 14 being connected to a bell crank lever 15 which is pivotedat 16 and is connected by means of a flexible member 17 passing overpulleys 18 to the weight 19. upon the piston-rod 20' of the damperregulator 21 of any well known construction, such, for instance, as theLocke damper regulator. This damper regulator 21 operates the damper 14in the various boilers 10 and 11 in the usual manner, and it is obviousthat while for convenience of illustration the damper 14: is shownbeneath the firedoors 13 it may be located at any convenient point. Thepiston 19 of the damper regulator has also connected thereto a flexiblemember 22 passing over pulleys 23, the opposite end of which isconnected to the bell crank lever 24 pivoted at 25, one arm of whichforms a suitable indicator 26 which co-acts with a graduated scale 27 onwhich are suitable characters indicating the rates at which the fuelshould be supplied to the heating devices.

lVhile in the drawing the characters upon the scale indicate the numberof shovelfuls of coal to be inserted into the fire-pot ateach firinginterval, it is obvious that if desired other designating characterscould be applied thereto equally as well with the same results, providedthat they indicate in any case the rates of supplying fuel, as, forexample the number of pounds of coal per hour to be fed into thefire-pot, or the intervals in minutes between firing a stated amount offuel at each time.

The graduated arc 27 at one end is provided with an electric contact 28with which the indicator finger 26 is adapted to make contact when theweight 19 is in its lowest position. The finger 26 and the contact 28are connected by means of the wires 29, 30, 31, and 32 to a battery 33and audible signal such as the bell 34. It is obvious therefore thatwhen the indicator finger 26 makes contact with the contact 28 anelectric circuit will be completed and the bell or other audible signal34 will be sounded to indicate to the fireman that the lowestpermissible pressure has been reached, this bell continuing to ringuntil the fireman has paid the necessary attention to the fires and thepressure in the boilers has returned to Within its normal range. Theweight 19 is also connected by a link 35 to a lever 36 pivoted at 37,this lever 36 being connected by a link 38 to a member 39 reciprocablein bearings 40 and provided at its opposite end with a marking penadapted to make a record upon a graduated dial 42 mounted upon the shaft43 to which is secured a gear 44 driven by means of the clock mechanism46.

On a shaft 47 of the clock mechanism 46 is secured an arm 48 which isadapted to be moved therewith and to connect at the termination ofcertain intervals with the contacts 49 and 50. To each of the heatingdevices or boilers are secured a plurality of visual signals, such asthe annunciators 51, a bell or other audible signal 52, and a combustionindicator or excess air alarm 53. Each combustion indicator or excessair alarm is connected by a pipe 54. with the stack 55, and by means ofa pipe 56 with the fire-pot, and by means of a pipe 7 3 with the ashpitof the heating device, so that variations in the drop in pressurethrough the fuel-bed and through the fine passages will operate, whenthere is an excess of air in either one of the heating devices over thepermissible amount, a member 57 to make a contact between the terminalsof the wires 58 and 59.

The wires 59 are connected by means of a wire 60 to the pivoted lever 61retained in position against a stop 62 by means of a spring 63. Thewires 58 each communicate with the terminals 64 with which the pivotedlever 61 makes contact when the con tact member 65 on the recordingmember 39 engages with the insulated end of said pivoted lever 61 andforces it downwardly into engagement with said terminals 64.

The wires 58 are each connected by a wire 66 with the contact members 49and 50. In the path of movement of the contact member 65 are a pluralityof contact members 67 with which said movable contact member 65 isadapted to engage successively when it is operated by means of the riseand fall of the weight 19 of the damper regulator 21. Each of thesecontact members is connected by means of a wire 68 with one of theannunciators 51, each annunciator also being connected through the wire69 with the bell 52 which in turn is connected by means of the wire 70with the wire 58.

The contact member 65 is electrically connected by means of the wire 71with the wire 30 and the pivoted member 61 is in like manner, by meansof the wire 72. connected to the wire 31. hen the regulator mechanism 21moves to operate the indicating arm 34 and in so doing moves the contactmember 65 up or down it causes said contact member to engage with one oranother of the contact points 67. This contact of the member 65 with anyparticular member 67 causes the selection of the proper annunciator 51to be operated to designate the amount of fuel to be supplied duringeach stated firing interval. The annunciator, however, is not operateduntil the finger 48 comes into contact with one of the contact members49 or 50, as. for instance, when the finger 48 is in contact with thecontact member 49. as shown in the drawing, a complete circuit is madefrom the battery 33 through the wire 31 to the finger 48. thence throughthe contact 49, wire 66. wire 58. wire 70 to the bell or other audiblesignal 52, wire 69, to the annunciator 51, wire 68. contact member 67.movable contact member 65, through the wire 71 and wire 30 to thebattery The completion of this circuit causes the bell 52 to be rune andthe se lected annunciator to be displayed to indicate to the fireman theamount of coal to be supplied to the furnace of the boiler on which theannunciator is displayed. Should this movable contact member 65 remainin contact with the same member 67 until the finger 48 reaches thecontact member 50. the corresponding annunciator would be operated onthe other boiler 11.

The annunciators preferably used are those known as automatic electricre-settinc annunciators, each signal re-setting the drop which fellpreviously so that each signal is in view of the fireman until anotherof the same set is caused to drop when the tinger 48 comes into contactagain with one of said contact members 49 or 50.

Obviously, if desired, the fireman may reset the signals by hand as soonas he has completed the firing, or the resetting may be accomplished bythe opening of the firedoor. As, however, the manner of resetting theannunciator or the particular form terminals 64L. When this has beenaccom plished an electric circuit will be completed from the battery 33,through the wires 72, the member 61, through the wires 58 and to thebells 52, then through the wire 69 to the lowest annunciator 51, thenthrough the wires 68 to the lowest contact member 67 through the movablecontact member 65 and wires 71 and 30 to the battery 33.

All of the bells on all of the boilers or heating devices will at thistime ring and continue to ring until the fires have been attended to andthe pressure, or other variable, returns to its normal range and causesthe upward movement of the movable member 65, thus permitting the spring63 to act upon the lever 61 to move it about its pivot against the stop62 and thus break the corn tact between said finger 61 and the terminals641.

The disk 42 is moved uniformly by the clock mechanism 46 which may be ofany usual construction and connected to said disk in any well-knownmanner for the purpose of causing its rotation. I

It is obvious that in the construction shown that the movable contactmember 65, whose movement is controlled by the regulator 21, simplyselects from time to time the signal corresponding to the amount of fuelto be supplied to the furnaces 10 and 11, this amount being determinedby the value at that instant of the pressure, or other variablecontrolling the regulating clevice, while the particular boiler to whichthe fuel is to be supplied is determined by the contacts caused to bemade by the clock mechanism, these contacts being made at stated firingintervals as predetermined.

The combustion indicator, or excess air alarm, of each heating device isindependently connected in circuit so that when the proportional amountof air passing through the furnace of that particular boiler is abnormalthe bell for that particular boiler is rung so as to call the attentionof the fireman to the corresponding furnace to which attention must begiven to maintain efficient combustion conditions. hen such a markedexcess of air is passing through the furnace of either one of theheating devices, the changes in the ratio of the resulting pressuredifferences in the furnace and fluepassages due to this excess of airwill act upon the member 57 to cause it to be moved into contact withthe terminals of the wires 58 and 59 and cause a circuit to be madebetween these wires. hen this has been accomplished a circuit iscompleted from the battery 33 to the wires 72, the pivoted lever 61, thewire 60, the wires 59, through the bridge member 57 to the wire 58, thenthrough the wire 70 to the bell 52, wire 69, through one of theannunciators 51, its connecting wires 68, to one of the contactingmembers 57,.and then through the movable contact member65 and itsconnecting wire 71 to the wire 30, and back to the battery 33. hen thiscircuit has been completed the bell 52 will be rung and will continue toring until the fireman restores the fire in this particular furnace tonormal conditions.

It is obvious that the rate of combustion, or the conditions influencingthem, may be controlled in other ways than by opening and closing adamper, as, for example, by increasing and decreasing the speed of a fansupplying air to the furnace or exhausting the products of combustiontherefrom. It is also obvious that the regulation of the rate ofcombustion, or of the conditions influencing them, may be controlled byany the heating device, or by the composition of the products ofcombustion. It is therefore obvious that the present invention providesa suitable apparatus for indicating to the person or persons in chargeof a boiler or other heating device the conditions of combustion withinsaid heating device or the average condition of several of these devicesworking in conjunction, in order that he or they may regulate the rateof supply of fuel to the requirements of the heating devices in a mannerwhich has been predetermined as the most suitable. By such a mechanismthe efiiciency and regularity of operation of said heating devices maybe materially improved as by such means the irregular firing and controlwhich is usually practiced is wholly avoided, this being accomplished bymeans of an audible or visible signal varying with theneeds of theheating devices and determining the rate at which fuel should besupplied to said heating devices.

Ordinarily in boiler-room or furnace practice the only guide to thedamper opening or strength of draft permitted or the rate at which fuelshould be supplied is the judgment of the fireman, who determines theamount of fuel to be supplied and the time for firing by the appearanceof the fire and the variations in the steam pressure or other variableaffected by the combustion. The most efficient results are in nearly allcases obtained only at the expense of unremitting attention and greatlyincreased labor. Nevertheless there is no practical and satisfactorymeans at present for enabling the employer to distinguish between thework of a careful and skilled fireman and that of a lazy or incompetentone. The total amount of coal is of course an index, but theresponsibility for poor work is not usually observed and cannot be fixedwith certainty. Neither is the uniformity of the steam pressure a safeguide. It is quite obvious that the result of such practice under theseconditions must be very unsatisfactory and lack uniformity, this lack ofuniformity varying with the skill and industry of the various firemen.

lVhen a damper regulator is attached to the boiler the steam pressurebecomes much steadier and the general conditions are improved, but theposition of the damper, and therefore the draft at which the fuel isburned still depends entirely on the rate at which the fireman sees fitto supply the fuel to the furnace. If supplied at too great a rate thedamper at first nearly closes, with the result that imperfect combustionand consequent loss of efficiency occurs, and with certain classes ofcoals clinker forms in large masses, choking the fire and causing thedamper to open wide without being able to maintain the desired steampressure or temperature. If, on the other hand, the fireman supplies thefuel at too slow a rate the damper opens Wider than desirable and thefire becomes uneven and too thin, with the resulting loss in efficiencyby reason of the excess air allowed to enter the furnace, leaving thefire in a condition in which it is unable to respond to calls for moresteam, and allowing the pressure of the latter to drop to a point whereit interferes with regular operation. Hence the addition of a regulatorhas a tendency, because of the fact that it takes care of the steampressure under normal conditions, to lead to irregular operation orneglect of the fires, with the consequent lack of efficiency andoccasional low pressure.

By means of the apparatus herein shown and described the need of skillin judging the condition and requirements of the fire on the part of thefireman is almost wholly eliminated and in lieu thereof he is shown byaudible and visual signals constantly the desired manner of firing, asdetermined by the adjustment of the relations of the different signalsto the different conditions of the heating devices, previously found togive the best results in practice. It furthermore permits, by means ofthe records made, the determination of the manner in which these signalshave been followed, and the responsibility for any loss of efliciency orlow steam pressure due to improper handling of the heating devices orcareless disregard of the signals can be fixed Without hesitation ordoubt.

In the adjustment of the apparatus by the person in charge to suit theclass of fuel and furnace conditions existing at that time, thethickness of the uniform bed of fuel or rate of supply of same and thestrength of draft which give the highest efficiency for each value ofthe demand on the heating device are determined by analyses of the fluegases and by actual observation of the efficiency and the compensatingattachment on the regulator, the position of the various contacts andthe marking of the scales and annunciators are adjusted to secure thedesired result under each set of conditions.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the inventionwill be thoroughly understood without any further description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a movable electric contact operatedby the movement of said regulating device: a plurality of fixed contactsadapted to be engaged by said movable contact; a plurality ofelectrically operated signals on each heating device, each of whichsignals is provided with characters designating the required rate ofsupply of fuel to the said heating device; a wire from each set ofcorresponding signals to one of said fixed contacts; a clock mechanism;and means operable by said clock mechanism for selecting the set ofsignals in which a particular signal is adapted to be operated by saidregulating mechanism at each predetermined firing interval.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a movable electric contact operatedby the movement of said regulating device; plurality of fixed contactsadapted to be engaged by said movable contact; a plurality ofelectrically operated signals on each heating device, each of whichsignals is provided with characters designating the required rate ofsupply of fuel to the said heating device; a wire from each set ofcorresponding signals to one of the said fixed contacts; a clockmechanism; an audible signal; and a make and break device operated bysaid clock mechanism for operating said audible signal at predeterminedintervals.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided With a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heating device; a clock mechanism for operating one of said signalson each of said heating devices at stated intervals; and means operableby said regulating mechanism for selecting the particular signal to beoperated.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heating device; a clock mechanism for operating one of said signalson each of said heating devices at stated intervals; means operable bysaid regulating mechanism for selecting the particular signal to beoperated; and an audible signal adapted to be operated by said clockmechanism when said visual signal is displayed.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a movable electric contact operatedby the movement of said regulating device; a plurality of fixed contactsadapted to be engaged by said movable contact; a plurality ofelectrically operated signals on each heating device, each of whichsignals is provided with characters designating the required rate ofsupply of fuel to the said heating device; a wire from each set ofcorresponding signals to one of said fixed contacts; an electric circuitfor each heating device including its indicating signals; and automaticmeans for completing the circuit of one of said heating devices at theend of each predetermined firing interval.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heating device; means operable by said regulating mechanism forplacing in circuit the corresponding signals for all the heatingdevices; and automatic means for operating one of said signals on one ofsaid heating devices thus placed in circuit at the end of apredetermined firing interval.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heating device; and means operable by said regulating mechanism forplacing in circuit the corresponding signals for all the heatingdcvices; and automatic means for operating one of said signals on one ofsaid heating devices thus placed in circuit at stated intervals. I

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heating device; means operable by said regulating mechanism forplacing in circuit the cor responding signals for all the heatingdevices; automatic means for operating one of said signals on one ofsaid heating devices thus placed in circuit at the end of apredetermined firing interval; a combustion indicator on each heatingdevice; an audible signal on each heating device; and a devicecontrolled by each combustion indicator for connecting two terminals inan electric circuit and operating said audible signal when theproportion of excess air in said heating device is higher than apredetermined amount.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination withaplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heating device; means operable by said regulating mechanism forplacing in circuit the corresponding signals for all the heatingdevices; and automatic means for successively operating at statedintervals said corresponding signals on each of said heating devicesthus placed in circuit.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with aplurality of heating devices provided with a device for regulating therate of combustion common to all; of a plurality of visual signals oneach heat ing device; means operable by said regulating mechanism forplacing in c1rcu1t the corresponding signals for all the heatmg devices;a clock mechanism; and means operable by said clock mechanism forsuccessively operating at stated intervals said corresponding signals oneach of sa1d heating devices thus placed in circuit.

Signed by me at New York city, New York this 28th day of July, nineteenhundred and nine.

ASA WHITE KENNEY BILLINGS.

WVitnesses OTTO E. SOHENKE, CLARENCE A. CHASE.

